


Things Peebee Has Never Done

by Revans_Mask



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/F, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Tribadism, Vaginal Fingering, melding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 04:51:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10712547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revans_Mask/pseuds/Revans_Mask
Summary: Peebee has committed to a relationship with Ryder, but she still hasn't consummated it.  Something has been holding her back, but after what happened on the Archon's ship, she's thinking that it's finally time for her to get over it.





	Things Peebee Has Never Done

**Author's Note:**

> So, as you can see from this fic and my Cora collaboration with Rae, I'm a fan of Andromeda. I expect to write stories set there in the future, and I hope you like this one.

_Ryder drops to the deck only a few feet in front of her, and all Peebee can do is stare. She can’t go to Ryder’s side, trapped as she is in the Archon’s stupid energy field. She can’t even speak, not with her heart lodged in her chest. All she can do is hang there in the air like an idiot and feel the tightness in her chest grow rapidly worse._

_Her mind is racing though, two words repeating themselves over and over again:_ Don’t die _._ _It’s like a prayer to the Goddess she’s never really believed in._ Don’t die. Don’t die. Don’t die. Don’t die.

_Seconds crawl by like hours, and still, Ryder doesn’t move. Hope begins to curdle inside Peebee’s chest. Ryder is going to die a stupid fucking death, killed by her own stupid implant, and Peebee never got the chance to show her just how much she doesn’t want that to happen._

***

Peebee’s eyes snapped open and she sucked in a gasping breath. For an instant, it felt like she really was on the Archon’s ship, watching Ryder lie unmoving on the deck. Another breath followed, and the familiar glow of Poc coming from a corner of the escape pod reminded her otherwise.

 _It’s okay_ , she said softly to herself. _Ryder’s okay. Her heart started up again. We got out of the stasis fields, found the co-ordinates for Meridian, and made it off of the Archon’s ship in one piece. Everything’s all right._

Except it wasn’t. If everything was all right, she wouldn’t have woken up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat yet again. If everything was all right, she would be able to get that terrible moment out of her head.

Peebee sat up and took a few more breaths, letting her heart rate level off. Fear wasn’t usually a problem for her. Fear was for people who were excessively worried about what came next. Peebee lived in the moment. Since she didn’t have any attachments she couldn’t afford to lose, there was nothing for her to be afraid of.

Until now. Until stupid Ryder, and her stupid smile, and their stupid chats in the escape pod that were somehow more romantic than any date Peebee had ever been on. It had been hard to admit, even to herself, but Ryder had become a major part of her life, one that Peebee couldn’t bear the thought of losing.

With a shake of her head, Peebee rolled up out of her small cot. She’d placed her impromptu workbench close by for moments like these, sleepless nights when she needed something to occupy her mind. Bits of Remnant tech were scattered all across its surface and Peebee picked up one after another, examining them while pondering their possible uses.

They were fascinating technology, created along design principles unlike anything she’d encountered in the Milky Way. The opportunity to play with stuff like this was the reason she’d left behind her home galaxy and spent 600 years in cryo sleep.

And right now, they were doing nothing for her. No brilliant ideas for new projects sprang into her brain. Even cute little hacks to marginally improve something she’d already built seemed to be beyond her. These moments of sudden wakefulness were often when Peebee did her best work, but right now she might as well have been a krogan pit fighter with a concussion for all the insight she was having.

_That’s because it’s not technical problems jolting you awake tonight._

Peebee set down the do-dads and stood up straight. There wasn’t much room to pace in the escape pod but she used all of it, reaching one wall before snapping back the other way, muttering to herself all the while.

 _This isn’t my fault_ , the part of her that never thought anything was her fault protested. _I tried to have a nice, casual thing with Ryder. We could’ve just gotten this out of our systems and moved on. She was the one who insisted on waiting, on wanting the sex to mean something before we got down and dirty. It’s Ryder’s fault that I’m awake and pacing like a caged varren._

 _And that_ , another, more sensible part of her brain retorted, _may be the single stupidest rationalization you’ve ever come up with, which is really saying something._

Ryder hadn’t _made_ her feel anything. That day floating together in zero-g was hardly the first chance at a hook-up that Peebee had missed in her 100-odd years of living. None of the rest of the missed opportunities had bothered her for longer than a few days, let alone led to the kind of gut-wrenching, soul-twisting agony she’d felt on the Archon’s flagship.

No, these were her feelings tying her in knots, which meant that she had to face them, not look for scapegoats. The funny thing was, she’d sort of already done that. She’d told the whole crew that she was committed to staying on the _Tempest_ , and she’d told Ryder that she was committed to building a real relationship with her. She’d taken the big step.

_Then why haven’t you slept with her yet?_

It’s not like Peebee was a prude when it came to sex. As she’d told Ryder, she was no naïve maiden, “saving” herself for some fairy tale about true love. She’d done plenty of things with plenty of beings, and there was no good reason she shouldn’t have jumped Ryder’s bones long before they ever set off for the Archon’s flagship.

_Except one. Except that you know that this time will be different. That you may want to do the thing you’ve never done, and that scares you and excites you all at the same time_

Peebee stopped herself mid-stride, taking a long breath. She didn’t _have_ to do anything. Ryder was human. She’d never even been with another asari; she wouldn’t know what she was missing out on if Peebee decided she didn’t want to share this with her.

_And isn’t the fact that I might actually want to a very good reason to take the plunge?_

***

Farah Ryder couldn’t keep from shaking her head when she opened up the mail program on her terminal. It wasn’t that she was opposed to helping people, per se. Indeed she genuinely liked helping. It gave her a warm feeling of satisfaction that aided her in dealing with all of the nonsense that the universe had been spewing forth ever since the first members of the Andromeda Initiative had exited cryo-stasis.

But in spite of Ryder’s appreciation for the virtues of benevolence, she couldn’t avoid being stressed out by the sheer volume of requests she was getting. “Find my lost cargo.” “Figure out who’s been tampering with the electrical junctions on the Nexus.” “Get me a date to the prom,” was probably up next, if things went on this way.

Behind her, Kallo and Suvi were bantering good-naturedly about something having to do with the latter’s tendency to eat unfamiliar Heleus Cluster foodstuffs and then emit unpleasant odors. Ryder would’ve liked to join in rather than deal with her messages but she had a job to do. With a resigned shrug, she got back to archiving the tasks that could be put on the back burner while mentally compiling a list of those that should be dealt with before they set off to find Meridian.

She was about halfway through her inbox when she found _that_ message. The one that made her eyes focus like a laser on the screen, disregarding the other missives, as well as the bickering of her crewmembers.

_A Gift For You_

_To: Ryder_

_From: Peebee_

_Hey there, gorgeous. I left a little something in your quarters._

_Nice digs by the way. Wouldn’t mind spending more time there. Hint, hint._

_Peebee_

Ryder bit the inside of her lip hard as she read the message over a second time, making sure it meant what she thought it did. Wishful thinking was definitely a danger. Ever since Peebee had literally jumped into the maelstrom of chaos that Ryder currently called her life, there had been an attraction. That had led to a friendship, and then to more. Ryder wanted more. She wanted a real relationship, and incredibly, Peebee had decided she wanted one too.

But though the asari’s romantic confession had led to some _very_ heated kisses, things hadn’t gone any further than that. Ryder had been the one to turn down the first proposition, but now it was Peebee who was holding back. Ryder could tell she was nervous, but why that was, Peebee hadn’t been ready to share. At least until now. If this message was any indication, Peebee was interested in sharing a great deal.

Trying to keep from tipping off Suvi and Kallo as to what she’d just read, Ryder looked at the time on her terminal. _Damn. I can’t believe my shift has only just started_. 1700 hours couldn’t come soon enough.

***

For what must have been the hundredth time that afternoon, Peebee turned one of the many gadgets from her workbench over in her hands, trying to make herself focus. Unfortunately, she wasn’t having much better luck than she’d had the night before.

Everything had been set in motion. Once Ryder had started her shift, Peebee had snuck into the Pathfinder’s quarters and left behind her little gift and sent her message. Unfortunately, Peebee’s decision had only brought temporary relief from her anxieties. Now, instead of worrying about what she _should_ do, she was focused on what Ryder _would_ do when she got the message.

_Does she even like wine? What about asari wine? What if she thinks me sneaking into her quarters is weird? What if she’s too tired after her shift? What if…_

Peebee set the piece of circuitry back down on the bench, trying to get her racing thoughts on some kind of a leash. These were ridiculous contingencies she was fixating on, but the fact that they kept sneaking into her head was proof of how much she cared. It _mattered_ that Ryder liked her gift. _But how could I know if she liked it if she doesn’t call? When is she going to call?_

She had managed to work herself into such a lather that when her comm finally started beeping, it took her a second to realize what the sound was. When she did, she reached for the “talk” button on her omni-tool, but she managed to fumble even that, taking three tries to get it right.

“Peebee…” It was Ryder’s voice, filled with as much eagerness as Peebee could’ve hoped to hear there. “I’m ready for my surprise.”

She didn’t trust herself to reply without babbling like an idiot, so Peebee just closed her omni-tool and headed straight for Ryder’s cabin. The _Tempest_ wasn’t that big, but the walk still gave her an opportunity to calm herself down.

_Come on, Peebee. Don’t make an ass of yourself tonight._

By the time she reached the door to Ryder’s cabin, she’d managed to slow her breathing and as it slid open, she put a hand on her hip, trying her best to look cool and calm in spite of the pounding in her chest.

“Hey ya.”

Ryder was sitting on the bed, a data pad in one hand and a cup of the wine Peebee had left for her in the other. She also had a smile on her face, which had to be a good sign.

“Come.” Ryder leaned back against the pillows, indicating a spot next to her with a glance. “Join me.”

Peebee did start walking toward the bed, but as she sat down, she said, “Oh no no. You don’t give the orders here. Who’s surprise is this anyway?”   Though she kept her tone playful, she meant what she said. She needed to not give up all of her control. Not when this scared her, even though she also wanted it more than she could remember wanting anything or anybody.

Ryder set down the drink and the data pad on her nightstand. “Not an order, just a request.”

Her tone was reassuring and Peebee felt the tension in her gut release, at least partially. This was where she wanted to be, and who she wanted to be with. Whatever happened, Ryder wouldn’t push her to do anything she didn’t want to. And she wanted to do quite a lot. “Not complaining. In fact, I’ve got one of my own. Let’s reenact how we met.”

Ryder’s eyebrows raised, but before she could ask any questions, Peebee pounced. This time, when she landed on top of Ryder, she didn’t blurt out a warning. Instead, she caught the Pathfinder’s mouth with her own, kissing her deeply. It wasn’t their first kiss, but it still felt special. Peebee didn’t make any effort to restrain her desire, showing all of it to Ryder as their lips parted and their tongues brushed against each other.

It was gratifying to feel that her neediness was reciprocated. Ryder was every bit as enthusiastic as she was, her hands sliding down Peebee’s spine to caress the strip of skin that her short jacket left exposed. They were warm and strong, the hands of a soldier, but also of a woman with a gentle spirit. Peebee loved the way they felt on the small of her back, sliding up beneath the leather to find more bare skin.

As pleasant as the feeling was, Peebee needed to be able to participate, which required a little stripping. Ryder’s jacket and scarf came first, leaving a white undershirt that showed hints of a dark bra beneath it. Ryder lifted her arms and Peebee tugged it up over her head, and then came the bra, unfastened and tossed aside to reveal beautiful, light brown skin, and perfect breasts topped by dark nipples that were already hard.

“Like what you see?”

Ryder flashed a smile that was half seductive, half nervous. It was also reassuring. She clearly wanted Peebee to like her, wanted it with the same intensity Peebee felt, and that made the asari feel a lot more sure of what she was doing.

“Oh, yeah,” she agreed, before moving to show just how much. Her hands slid over Ryder’s torso, getting a feel for the warm skin. It was slightly different than that of an asari, with tiny, fine hairs across its surface. Peebee liked that; new experiences were always a plus, even if they weren’t always this delicious.

***

Ryder sighed deeply as Peebee’s hands ran over her chest. She’d been wanting this for a long time; really, ever since Peebee crashed into her life. But though her first reaction –after confusion –had been a simple attraction to the frenetic asari laying on top of her, her feelings had soon become more complicated. That was why she’d declined Peebee’s offer the day they’d floated together in the escape pod. She wanted it to mean something when they made love for the first time.

Now it did. After all their adventures together, all the Remnant ruins explored, the Kett attacks repelled, the brushes with death survived, this wasn’t just two people in need of stress relief. This was special.

Peebee’s jacket unbuttoned easily and Ryder wasted no time sliding it open and off. Beneath there was just a tight tank top that she yanked over Peebee’s head, leaving the two of them equally undressed. It was a beautiful sight, and Ryder wanted to enjoy all of it, with her eyes, but also with her hands, and lips, kissing and caressing every bit of smooth blue skin she could get a hold of.

It was delightful, but above her, she felt Peebee squirming in response to her touches. Ryder couldn’t avoid laughing. “Always so impatient.” She could sympathize, though. Her sex was starting to ache, her anticipation building. It had taken them a long time to get to this point, and now that they were here, further delay was difficult.

Peebee clearly agreed. “I just think we’re still wearing too many clothes,” she said, her playful words unable to hide her eagerness.

“Well then let’s fix that.”

“Oh yes.”

Peebee wriggled out of her arms and stood back up, but only to move things along. As Ryder’s eyes widened, the asari unbuttoned her pants and slid them down over her hips before tugging off her boots and tossing them aside as well. That left her in only a pair of lacy, dark blue panties, but there Peebee paused, putting her hands on her hips and adopting a pose that was both striking and seductive.

“Where did you find those in the Heleus Cluster?” Ryder managed to ask, in spite of the fact that her mouth was rapidly running out of moisture.

Peebee grinned. “Oh, I have my ways.”

“I’ll bet you do.”

Now it was Ryder’s turn. She slid down her pants and panties all at once; plain white Andromeda Initiative underwear didn’t have quite the same appeal as sexy lingerie. Fortunately, Peebee seemed to enjoy the sight of her bare body plenty.

“Looking good, Ryder,” she said, her eyes raking up and down the Pathfinder’s body hungrily. Ryder could see the muscles of Peebee’s throat tighten before she bent down, sliding off her last scrap of her own clothing save for a small sliver bracelet. Like the rest of Peebee, her azure was completely hairless, making it easier for Ryder to see the trails of moisture on its outside.

Ryder managed to avoid actually drooling, but she was definitely gawking. “Now who likes what she sees?” Peebee asked.

“Me.”

It wasn’t the most eloquent reply, but under the circumstances, Ryder was pleased to have managed to get anything out. Anyway, it was good enough for Peebee. She walked toward Ryder, hips swaying as she did. “Lay back. I’ve got some exploring to do here.”

***

Ryder proved eager to follow Peebee’s directions. She slid back onto the bed, her naked body fully exposed. Ryder was beautiful; trim and fit, with curves that practically begged Peebee to run her hands over them. It wasn’t an invitation she could resist. Climbing back onto the bed, she took hold of a lean, muscled leg, pressing her lips to Ryder’s shin. Peebee didn’t rush her kisses, but she didn’t hesitate either. Ryder’s skin got softer as Peebee went higher, especially on the inner thighs that spreading legs exposed to her mouth.

The thick smell of Ryder’s arousal tempted Peebee, but she didn’t stop at her sex for long. For this first time, she wanted to be able to look into Ryder’s eyes as they made love. Her own need was almost too much, and she needed to see that hunger reflected in Ryder’s eyes before she’d be ready to take the final step.

But that didn’t mean she refrained entirely. Peebee made a single, long pass of her tongue along Ryder’s sex as she moved upward, and even that was enough to intoxicate. The flavor was richer and heavier than that of an asari, and Peebee knew that she’d been returning for more many times in the future.

_You’re assuming there will be more times. Bold, but it certainly feels true._

“Peebee…”

Ryder groaned, her hips pushing up, her hand brushing across Peebee’s crest. Peebee continued to explore, nuzzling the small strip of dark hair above Ryder’s sex before reaching her smooth stomach. Taut muscles arched up to meet her lips, and above her, Peebee could hear the sharpness of Ryder’s breathing. It was a wonderful sound, and Peebee wondered what it would be like to feel the desire behind it more intimately, to know Ryder from the inside.

Her mouth trailed through the valley between Ryder’s breasts before finally reaching the Pathfinder’s lips. As the kiss began, Ryder’s hands wrapped around her back, pulling their bodies together. Kissing had never been Peebee’s favorite part of sex. It felt nice, sure, but intensity-wise, it couldn’t compare to some of the things that came later.

Now she was rethinking that assessment. Kissing Ryder was more than just nice; it made Peebee feel connected. It was an expression of feelings she’d never had before, making her heart expand almost painfully with their intensity.

Ryder’s hand ran up and down her body, the touches firm and yet loving, and Peebee felt her skin light up in response. She moaned into their kiss, and a hand gripped her crest, nimble fingers exploring its folds. Peebee shuddered, and Ryder drew back just far enough to say, “I heard these were sensitive.”

“Mm hmm.” Peebee arched her neck into the touch, but she wasn’t content to be passive. She wanted to return the pleasure, and so she reached down between their bodies, seeking out Ryder’s clit. It was a little trickier to find than an asari’s, but she managed, her find confirmed when Ryder gasped beneath her. Her head tipped back and Peebee kissed the exposed flesh of her throat.

The pressure against her crest increased and now it was Peebee’s turn to gasp. Her desire was rising faster than she could remember, Ryder’s reactions as much a turn-on as her touches. Peebee wanted to experience them in every possible way, to hear Ryder’s cries, to feel her body tremble. _To feel it for myself, to be one with her when she comes for me._

With every passing second, the thought was become less scary and more exciting. Ryder’s thigh pushed up between Peebee’s legs and she ground against it, whimpering at the friction. Even though this was the first time her sex had been touched tonight, she was already soaked, her azure leaving a slick trail on Ryder’s skin.

Ryder noticed. An awed, “Wow,” passed her lips and her fingers slid between her thigh and Peebee’s body. The pads pressed against the hard point of Peebee’s clit and the asari moaned shamelessly. She didn’t care if Ryder knew how easily she’d been turned on–No, that was wrong. She _wanted_ Ryder to know the effect she had.

The two of them moved against each other, their lips meeting over and over as their fingers continued stroking. Peebee slipped two of them inside Ryder, the wetness enough to allow her immediate entry. Slickness coated her digits and she moaned into Ryder’s mouth, more turned on that she had ever been by a lover’s arousal.

Ryder reciprocated, opening Peebee up with two fingers of her own. Her inner walls clenched down around them, a wave of heat spreading through her whole body at the feeling of being filled. Peebee was reaching her breaking point, every thrust of Ryder’s fingers pushing her higher. Her lips danced across Ryder’s face, but Peebee could only distract herself with kisses for so long. She wasn’t going to last, and that meant it was time to make her decision.

And there was really only one choice. She wanted this more than she would’ve thought, even at the start of the night, a pressure building in her mind that required a very special release.

“Do you know about asari melding?” she panted. It was hard to find her breath, but it was necessary. If they was going to do this, she wanted Ryder to understand. Ryder looked up at her, and though she didn’t speak, her wide eyes urged Peebee to continue. “Our minds and bodies weave together, become one.” She bent low, kissing the line of Ryder’s jaw. “I’ve never trusted anyone enough. Never trusted myself.”

Ryder’s fingers slid out, and a touch on Peebee’s wrist encouraged the asari to do the same. Their fingers laced together, the touch somehow even more intimate then the penetration had been. “I’ve got you. You’re safe with me.”

At the warmth in Ryder’s voice, the last of Peebee’s hesitation melted away. Their legs tangled, their sexes pressing together, while their hands remained linked. The slick feel of flesh on flesh was sublime, but even that pleasure was being overtaken by something more. Peebee’s mind was reaching out, and when she saw the love in Ryder’s dark eyes, she gave into her instincts fully. Peebee’s back arched, her head tipping backwards and her eyes darkening. Her lover’s name fell from her lips as her consciousness flew forth, linking with Ryder’s mind.

A surge of pleasure poured through the link, pushing her, no, pushing _them_ past their limits. An ecstasy deeper than a single person could contain flowed back and forth, amplified in ways that Peebee had never felt before. Her whole body was liquid fire, filled with a climax strong enough to make every part of their body’s tremble with its force.

As they crested together, the world fell away around them. There was no cabin, no stars passing by, not even a bed beneath them. There was only her and Ryder, enmeshed in light and in each other. Nothing remained to district them from their bliss, or from each other. Peebee had joined before, as all asari learned how to, but it had never been like this. This was a deeper more profound, connection, one that was new, and yet entirely natural.

Even when the pleasure ebbed, the bond remained. Peebee could feel Ryder’s passion and tenderness, the burdens she carried, the things that frightened her and those that gave her joy… And she knew Ryder could see into her heart the same way. All of her secrets of were laid bare, and yet Peebee felt at peace. This was no taking, no invasive probe. There was simply one set of thoughts, shared silently and effortlessly between them.

Ryder’s eyes widened as she took all of it in. “I… I can’t believe it,” she whispered. “It’s so quiet.”

“We are one,” Peebee said, her voice echoing in the vastness of the meld. “This is all ours now.”

She wasn’t sure where the next thought began, but it hardly mattered. They both felt the same emotion, and the words came out of them together. “I love you.” Three simple words, but they were ones Peebee had never said before. She had never let herself feel that way, let alone express that feeling. But there was no hiding here, and there was no need for it. She could trust Ryder with anything, even the vulnerabilities of her heart.

Even the joining faded and Peebee’s world expanded to include other things, Ryder remained at its center. She laid her head down on the Pathfinder’s chest, feeling it rise and fall beneath her. Her hand went to Ryder’s heart; its beating even and steady now.

Peebee couldn’t speak without words anymore, but she still had to say one more thing. “I want you to know whatever kept you from saying ‘yes,’ before, I respect it. With strings, it means so much more. This, now, is where I belong.”

Ryder smiled down at her, a warm, peaceful expression that mirrored the calm in Peebee’s soul. She didn’t have to say anything for Peebee to know that she felt the same way, not after what they’d shared. Ryder belonged with her, belonged to her, just as Peebee did, and there was no thought that made her once-restless spirit happier.


End file.
